Door holder



Patented Oct.' 3, 1922.

UNITED STA-TES PATENT UFFICE.

D003. HOLDER.

Application led August 11, 1920. Serial No. 40,766.

To all whom it may concern:

lBe it known that I, SAMUEL J. RAWLINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kearny, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Door Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in door holders and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character adapted automatically to secure a door or the like in its open position, and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character including a pivotally mounted latch, together with novel and improved means to protect the pivotal connection of the latch from dirt or the like and wherein said means also serves as a stop to prevent the latch trom passing too far back over the center of gravity.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a novel and improved holder of this general character including a pivoted latch coactin with a catch and wherein the latch is provided with means engageable with the catch for positively swinging the latch upwardly.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved holder of this general character comprising a coacting latch and catch, together with a plunger which, in addition to serving as a butler, operates edectively to facilitate the desired separation or disengagement of the latch and catch.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved door holder whereby certainL important advantages are attained and device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous tor use, as will be hereinafter more fully set Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the structure as illustrated in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view with parts in elevation taken through the rear portion of the latch and the supporting member therefor. Y V As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a catch comprising a plate l adapted to be suitably secured in applied position to a door D or the like and extending outwardly from the plate 1 at right angles thereto is a tongue 2, the outer end portion ot which terminates in a hook 3, between which latter and the plate 1 is formed a notch or recess a. The outer face 5 of the hook 3 is inclined downwardly and forwardly and the notch or recess 4 is likewise inclined and substantially in parallelism with the inclination of the outer face 5.

M denotes a shell-like bod. member or socket provided at one end with the oppositely directed wings 6 to provide means whereby said member M may be suitably secured to a wall W or kindred surface. rEhe member M is substantially U-shaped in cross section and the rear portions of the side walls or plates 7 thereof are provided with the inwardly disposed ianges or ribs 8 having their opposed faces flat and extending upwardly from the base 9 ot the member M and bridging the space between the lower portions of the flanges or ribs 8 is a flange 10 for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

The upper end portions of the flanges or ribs 8 and the adjacent portions ot the side walls or plates are provided with the upstanding ears 11 substantially arcuate in form and having their peripheries substantially concentric to a pin 12 bridging the space between the flanges or ribs 8 and having its extremities supported by the side walls or plates 7 of the member M.

L denotes a latch provided at its rear end portion with a perforate lug 111 substantially snugly iitting between the upper portions of the flanges or ribs 8 and through which is directed the pin 12 whereby the latch L is pivotally supported. rlhe end portion of the latch L at its pivoted extremity is arcuate in form with the side marginal portions thereof overlying the ears 11, whereby an eiiective means is provided to protect the hinge or pivotal connection of the latch L from dirt or the like and particularly to prevent paint from getting to such connection when paintin the wall or other surface to which the mem M may be attached.

The side marginal portions of the latch L at its pivotedextremity also provide means Whereb the latch may be held from passing upwar ly too far past the center of'gravity as said marginal portions are adapted to contact with the rear faces of the ribs or flanges 8. In order to facilitate this last operation or functioning the ribs or flanges 8 are positioned a slight distance inwar'tlf of the rear or back end of the member resulting in a vertically disposed recess or channel 15 open at both ends..

The forward or free end portion of the latch L is provided with an opening 16, preferably rectangular in form. The vrear or inner wall 17 defining the opening 16 is on, an upward and forward incline or bevel. The latch L operates by gravity and the opening 16 thereof is adapted to receive the upwardly directed hook 3 of the catch C as will hereinafter be more particularly set forth.

Depending from the inner end portion of the latch L 1s a lug 18 having flat side faces disposed in a direction longitudinally of the latch L and having its rear edge 19 straight and substantiall perpendicular with respect to the pin 12. lhe rear edge 19 is adapted to contact with the flange 10 whereby the downward or gravity movement of the latch L is limited. The forward marginal edge a of the lug 18 is rounded or arcuate and cooperates with the outer face or edge 5 of the hook 3 in a manner to be hereinafter referred to.

The base 9 of the member M is tubular and the outer end of the bore 20 is defined by an inwardly directed flange 21 while the opposite or inner end thereof is closed by a plug or head 22 threaded therein. Slidably arranged within the bore 20 for rectilinear movement is a plunger P. The inner or inserted end of the plunger P is defined by an Voutstanding flange 23 adapted to engage the flange 21 whereby the outward movement of the plunger P is limited.

Arranged within the bore 2O and interposed between the inner end of the plunger P and the plug or head 22 is an expansible member 24, preferably a coil spring, which operates to constantly urge the plunger P outwardly, the tension of said member or spring being increased or decreased as the occasions of practice may require by adjusting the plug or head 22. The outer end portion 25 of the plunger P is preferably rounded.

When the door D or the like upon which the catch C is mounted is opened sufficiently,

the outer inclined edge or face 5 will oontact with the outer rounded end 26 ofthe latch L, resulting in the latch L bein raised sufficiently to permit the hook 3, 'w en the latch L drops by gravity, to extend through the opening 16 whereby the door D or the like will be held positively in its open position.

Before the latch L drops, the plate 1 of thecatch C, or moreV particularly the downwardly extending portion 27 thereof, will abut or contact with the outer or rounded end portion 25 of the plunger P, so that the plunger P is movedinwardly and placed under tension before the latch L drops so that when the latch L is in holding'engagement with the hook 3, the plunger P operates to prevent any rattling that might be produced between the latch L and the hook 3 by a slight movement of the door D or the like.

When it is desired to release the latch L from the hook 3, the door D or the like is pushed against the plunger P, `placing the same under great tension and at the same time the inclined edge or face 5 of the hook 3 contacts with the rounded edge a of the lug 18 whereby the latch L is thrown up wardly, said latch L being prevented from swinging upwardly and too far beyond the center of the gravity by contact of the pivoted end of the latch L with the outer or rear faces of the flanges or ribs 8, so-that the return or downward movement of the latch L will occur automatically by gravity and which gravity movement is further assured by the additional weight afforded by the lug 18.

After the door D or the like has been swung inwardly to effect the requisite raising of the latch L, the pressure upon the door D or the like is released, whereupon the outward movement of the plunger P under the influence Iof the expansible member or spring 24 will automatically swing the door D or the like outwardly or in a direction away from the member M at such speed and to such extent that when the latch L drops, the hook 3 of the catch will be positioned a sufficient distance in advance of the outer or free end of the latch L to prevent the hook 3 from again passing through the opening 16.

It is to be particularly noted that the mounting of the plunger P is such that the expansible member or spring 24 is effectively protected from water, dirt or the like which would otherwise interfere with the efficiency of the spring.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a door holder constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departin from the princi le and spirit thereof ang for this reason Ipdo not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

l claim:

1. A holder of the class described comprising, in combination, a member including a base, upstanding side plates and a dan eX- tending upwardl from the base adgacent the rear ends of t e side plates, a gravity operated latch pivotally engaged between the upper portions of the side plates at the rear thereof, a lug depending from the latch member and extending longitudinally thereof, the forward edge of the lug being rounded, the rear edge of the lug being straight and oi a length to engage the flange of the base to limit the gravity movement or the latch member, anda hook member with which the latch engages by gravity, the rounded edge of the lug having contact with the hook member to facilitate the disengagement of the latch member from' the hook member.

2. A holder of the class described comprising in combination, a member including spaced side plates, said plates being provided with opposed ribs inwardlyv directed, said ribs being continued by opstanding rounded ears, a latch member working between the plates, meanscoacting with the ears and the latch member for supporting Y the latch member for pivotal movement, ythe curvature of the ears being substantially concentric to the axis of such pivotal connection, said latch member at its pivotal portion having its side marginal portions overlying the ears to otal connection.

ln testimony whereoil l hereunto aiix my signature.

SAMUEL J. RAWLNGS.

provide shields for the piv- 

